, 1887-01-05

for the Minister ofthe Interior, M. Sarrien,
pledged himself absolutely to dismiss the
Sub.PerfectS next year-Overturned a Gov
ernmPnt which, as the Deputies knew, was
involved in the most anxious negotiations,
which is cOquetting with Russia, pressing
and embarrassing England, and risking
the possibility of collision with Germany.
1t postponed the most serious interests of
the country to a comparatively petty inter.
nal detail, or, rather, sacrificed the coun.
try rather than fOregO the pleasure of
"giving a lesson" to a too independent
Minister. 1t has done this, roo, in such d
way that no succeeding Minister can feel
secure, for the vote was carried by q juno
ton OF Extremists and ReactiOnaries; and
as Extremists are never Contented, the
ReactiOnaries have only to join them and
vote against their own principles to upset
any Ministry. How is it possible to man.
age important business we'll OH such CON
ditiOns, even if the Ministers consent to be
clerks Accept the Chamber as Sovereign.
and still it is vacillating as no successful
Sovereign ever vacillated yet, or is as
reckless of consequences as q child.
1t may be said, and we entirely agree.
that a Chamber may sometimes he compel.
led to dismiss a Minister upon q nominal
charge, and that the Chamber may really
be dissatisfied with NJ. de FreycinetS for.
reign policy, and not with his conduct
about the ub,PrefectS. Well, that would
bea valid defence, fit were only true.
1t is less than u fortnight since the Depu-
ties formally approved of Nj. de F~reyCinets
Colonial policy, and voted his budgets for
Tonquin and Tunis, while they received
his exposition of his Egyptian policy with
rapturous delight. His speech on that
subject was considered of itself to have
solidiied his position. They have never
hampered his Russian policy by SO mich
as a comment; while his German policy
consists in supporting General Boulanger,
and General ~BOulangeriS to stay in. More
than that, it is we'll known that the policy
which alarms Germany, and has induced
Prince Bismarck to antedate his Military
Bill in order to increase the Army ut once,
is the immense expenditure advised by
General BOulanger on war materials, of no
use unless war is considered at all events
immiaently probable. So far is the Cham
Der from disappearing this expenditure
which, indeed, it has sanctioned that
General Boulanger has demanded, as the
condition of his adhesion to the new Minis
try, that a new credit of twelve million
sterling extra Shall at once be opened for
him ami the new Ministry has agreed.
1t is possible of course, that NJ. Goblet,
in so agreeing, has misread the mind of
the Deputies, and that the vote may be-
refused but if so, General Boulanger and
some of the most capable men in France
who have accepted office on those terms,
are, to speak plainly, misur. tanCing
their SOvereign's wishes, and maA... fools
Of themselves and the country. Il tina
likelyF Grant that it is likely, am we
have an %incalcnlable Chamber, which an
no more be served than q madman or q
child could be; grant that it is unlikely,
and we have a chamber which, in the graz
vest of crises, overthrows q Government
of which, except on a trivial detail, it APP
proves. Such q Chamber is incompetent.
We admit there is a third theory There
are cynics who say that NJ. de Freyeinet
only resigns because he wishes for the
Presidency. He is deep in NJ. Grevy's
confidence, knows that the'aged President,
shaken BIZ years, by illness, and by the
death of his most trusted adviser, General
Pitti6, will shortly resign his Office, and
he desires when that great event happens
not to be i'll power. Prelniers i'll France
accumulate dlslikes. and a few months Of
retirement may efface recollections
otherwise would initiate against his pro-
motion. Super-subtle as that explanation
may seem, it is still a possible one; but
then, what sort Of q Chamber is it by
which such an intrigue could be tolerated,
or which is expected by a candidate to be-
more favourable to hi" if he suddenly